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Vanguard

I didn’t Resign – NGIGE

By Sufuyan OjeifoFriday, July
11, 2003

ABUJA
— PEOPLE’S Democratic Party (PDP) reacted yesterday to the abduction of Governor
Chris Ngige of Anambra State, describing it as a threat to democracy. The
party’s National Working Committee (NWC) declared that it would not accept the
threat, promising to get to the roots of the matter.

National Secretary of the
party, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, who spoke to reporters on the incident stated
that he was in touch with the Presidency and the national chairman of the party,
Chief Audu Ogbeh, adding that he had also spoken with the Inspector-General of
Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun, who, he said, denied giving any order to the Assistant
Inspector-General (Zone 9), Mr. Raphael Ige, who led a team of about 200
policemen to effect the arrest of the governor at about 9 a.m. yesterday in his
office.

Governor Ngige, who is being
held by his abductors at Choice Hotel, Awka, spoke on telephone with Prince
Ogbulafor and the question and answer session which was put on speaker phone was
recorded by reporters. Ngige said a phone was thrown at him to speak with the
national headquarters of the party.

The dialogue is as follows:

Ngige:
I am being kept at Choice Hotel, Awka. This morning (yesterday morning), about
200 policemen led by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Raphael Ige,
surrounded my office as I was settling down for work about 9 o’clock. I am still
under abduction. Somebody just threw a telephone at me to talk to you.

Ogbulafor: Did you go to the police?

Ngige: Yes, AIG came to me that I was
under arrest. I asked him whether there was a coup in the country, he said no,
but that he was under instruction to arrest me. I asked him what kind of arrest;
he said he would tell me later. Then, he brought a letter from the House of
Assembly that I have resigned as governor, but I knew I had not resigned. I am
not contemplating resigning and I told him they can only take the seat by force.
I told him I had the mandate of Anambra people and I am still their governor.

Ogbulafor: Have you contacted the chief
judge?

Ngige: We looked for the chief judge
and he was nowhere to be found.

Ogbulafor: What of the court registrar?

Ngige:
He was nowhere to be found, but I did not even make effort.

Ogbulafor:
What of the Attorney General?

Ngige:
We have not appointed the cabinet

Ogbulafor:
Did you sign any document?

Ngige:
No. All I know is that I did not prevent anybody from being appointed as
commissioner or special adviser. I only refused to sign a document where they
said they wanted to offset electoral expenses.

Ogbulafor: To the tune of how much?

Ngige: N3 billion

Ogbulafor: Who made the demand?

Ngige: Chris Uba is demanding that we
did agree but I did not sign any document. My signature was forged. If I am to
sign such a resignation letter, I will ask my party whom do I address it to. For
the past two weeks, Chris Uba who said he wanted to appoint all 11
commissioners, special advisers, Aide d’Camp, Chief Detail, Secretary to the
State Government even rejected the appointment of my personal staff. He said
they are not acceptable to him. I do not know why. I told him that I only
appointed those we had agreed upon earlier, so, I am surprised. Last week, he
redeployed a Permanent Secretary in my office without my approval."

Governor Ngige told the
National Secretary that Senator I.G. Abana and Hon. Chuma Nzeribe led the police
team to his office, pleading with Ogbulafor to "keep in touch with me; you know
I am not free as I am talking with you."

Reacting to the development,
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Venatius Ikem, said that "the
party will not recognise any other person apart from Ngige as Governor of
Anambra State. We condemn the action in totality; it is illegal,
unconstitutional and unwarranted. Ngige remains the duly elected Governor."

National Legal Adviser of
the party, Col. Yohanna Madaki, said: "It amounts to treason and it should be
treated as such. If there is need to change government, it should be done
properly, through constitutional means. The governor should not be put under
house arrest."

Daily Independent Online.

Friday July
11, 2003

Ngige accuses deputy of
being ambitious

By Sunny Igboanugo

Daily Independent,
Enugu

Anambra State governor, Dr.
Chris Ngige yesterday accused his deputy, Dr. Okechukwu Ude of being ambitious,
saying he was shocked at his behaviour following yesterday’s confusion that
engulfed the state.

Speaking with Daily
Independent in his Choice Hotel from where he was being held by a team of
policemen who came to arrest him from the Government House, Awka yesterday,
Ngige reiterated that the bone of contention was his refusal to dance to the
tune of Chief Chris Uba, his political “godfather”.

“The bone of contention was
the demand of Chris Uba for N3 billion for his alleged campaign expenses on my
behalf which I turned down,” the governor said but explained that he had already
compelled the state accountant general to pay Chief Uba N960 million up front
which amounts to N10 million every month for the period of four years he has to
stay in office.

He said the money was paid for
the award of contract for the construction of Nnamdi Azikiwe place of contract
which Uba signed in 1996 with the then military government.

Throwing more light on what
transpired at Choice Hotel, Ngige said somebody smuggled a telephone to his
toilet with which he called the vice president, Atiku Abubakar and the national
chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Audu Ogbeh both of who
assured him that his position is intact.

Although, Ngige said he
conceded all the commissioners to Chief Uba, he explained that he made it clear
to him that the nominees must not only be seen to be free from corruption but
must have track record of good academic qualifications and be of good integrity.

He also said the commissioners
must come from areas of the state that have not produced principal officers
before, adding that there was an attempt to abduct him to his father’s compound
in Alor in Idemili council which he strongly resisted.

“I am the one that is going to
deliver Anambra State from the forces of darkness like Chris Uba and his
likes,” the governor told this newspaper.

Daily
Independent Online.
* Friday July 11, 2003

Confusion in Anambra

I am still
governor, says Ngige; I have taken over, insists deputy

By Bolaji Tunji, Oguwike
Nwachuku

Daily Independent,
Lagos

and Okey Maduforo, Anambra

The political crisis in
Anambra State flared again yesterday following a dramatic announcement of the
resignation of Governor Chris Ngige and his alleged abduction from Government
House, Awka by mobile policemen. Although Ngige later reappeared at his hotel
residence to deny he had stepped down, his deputy, Dr. Okechukwu Udeh, declared
before newsmen at 6.30pm at the Government House that he had taken over as the
new helmsman in the state.

The People’s Democratic Party
(PDP), which controls the state, described the events in the state as
“shocking”. Speaking through its National Secretary, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor,
the PDP said: “It is a threat to democracy. We are going to take necessary steps
to ensure that this does not hold.”

The drama began yesterday on
the floor of the State House of Assembly with the reading of a letter
purportedly written by the governor to notify the Speaker, Mrs. Eucharia Azodo,
of his decision to resign from the office on personal grounds. The House
thereafter swiftly accepted the resignation and directed the chief judge of the
state to swear in Udeh as the new governor. This development was preceded by the
arrival of a contingent of mobile policemen, which cordoned off the assembly
complex.

Moments after the proceedings
at the Assembly, another contingent of policemen arrived the Government House in
three trucks and whisked away the governor. He was later sighted at his
temporary residence at Choice Hotel in Awka, the state capital.

At about 6.30 pm, Udeh said at
a press briefing that he had taken over in accordance with Section 191 (1) of
the Constitution and in order to “avoid a vacuum in the leadership of the
state”. Flanked by the state chairman of the PDP, Chief Ivy Obi Okoye and the
Speaker, Azodo, Udeh urged the people of the state to be calm and to perceive
the development as “an act of God”.

Ngige later told newsmen that
he had not resigned and does not plan to do so. He said he got in touch with
Vice- President Atiku Abubakar and Mr. Audu Ogbeh through a mobile phone
smuggled to him after his abduction. He said a delegation from the party would
be in Awka today to wade into the matter.

Ngige accused a businessman
and his election financier, Chief Chris Ubah, of being behind the development
following his refusal to sign a cheque of three billion Naira to defray Ubah’s
investment in his election. He also accused Ubah of demanding to nominate all
the commissioners in the state.

Before the governor reemerged,
his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Fred Chukwulobe, announced
that Ngige has not resigned. He said: “The Governor, Dr. Chris Ngige, has not
resigned. The letter purportedly written to the lawmakers is false and not
written by him. Dr. Chris Ngige is still the executive governor of Anambra
State.”

Speaking with Daily
Independent over the telephone from Awka, Chukwulobe alleged that the
Assembly Speaker, Azodo; Senator Ikechukwu Abana and a member of the House of
Representatives from the state, Mr. Chuma Nzeribe, had drafted the purported
letter of resignation at the Speaker’s office before reading it on the floor of
the House. The governor’s aide further alleged that mobile policemen brought
into the state from Umuahia in Abia State had held members of the House hostage
to ensure that the alleged resignation was adopted. He said the governor too was
held hostage between 9am and 2pm.

A member of the House of
Assembly representing Njikoka II constituency, Chief Frank Igboku, however
insisted a letter of resignation was sent to the House by the governor and
adopted.

Igboka said the governor cited
personal reasons for the resignation, quipping that no one had the right to
question the personal decisions of an individual.

“If a man takes a stand on an
issue that is personal to him, no one has the right to question it. It is for
him alone,” he said.

Speaking on the development
from Abuja, the Inspector-general of Police, Alhaji Tafa Balogun, said Ngige
was in protective custody, adding that the police had stepped in to maintain
peace and order and to bring the matter under control.

July 11, 2003

Daily
Trust

Anambra governor abducted

*Deputy takes over, PDP sets
up reconciliation c’ttee

By Ahmed I. Shekarau, Suleiman
Mohammed & Zainab Musa-Kperogi

An unidentified team of
uniformed personnel alleged to be mobile policemen yesterday abducted and
whisked away the Anambra State governor, Dr. Chris Ngige, to an unknown
destination.

The team, alleged to have been
led by an Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), wearing the name tag of
Raphael Ige, was said to have forced its way into the governor’s office in Awka,
the state capital at about 10 a.m. yesterday.

The chief press secretary to
the governor, Mr. Chuks Akunna, who confirmed the incident to Daily Trust
in a telephone conversation yesterday, disclosed that the deputy-governor, Mr.
Okey Udeh, has already taken over the affairs of the state as acting governor.

The governor’s spokesman who
said he narrowly escaped being abducted, disclosed that the crack team arrived
the Government House, Awka, at about 10 a.m. and disarmed all security details
attached to Dr. Ngige.

"After that, they held Dr.
Ngige hostage for more than three hours after which they took him away," Mr.
Akunna further said.

He said the governor was
abducted in a green 406 Peugeot salon car without any registration number
escorted by a Mazda pick-up van with more than 20 mobile policemen in it.

Dr. Ngige’s spokesman alleged
that the team came to Awka from Umuahia.

Mr. Akunna told Daily Trust
that shortly before the governor’s abduction yesterday, the Speaker of the
Anambra State House of Assembly, Mrs. Grace Anazodo had announced the purported
resignation of Dr. Ngige from his position.

According to him, "the Speaker
read a letter purportedly written by Dr. Ngige, saying that he has resigned from
his position as governor of the state due to pressure from his family. But that
is not true. The letter is not from him," the spokesman affirmed.

Mr. Akunna attributed his
boss’ predicament to some disagreements between him and a Chieftain of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who is an influential politician in the state.

The politician, who was said
to have partly financed Dr. Ngige’s campaigns, was alleged to have demanded N3
billion as compensation from the governor after he assumed duty, and the
spokesman alleged that the governor "politely" refused. "Dr. Ngige said that was
impossible."

Mr. Akunna also alleged that
the influential politician demanded to be allowed to nominate 10 of the 17
commissioners to be appointed into the governor’s cabinet. "But the governor
told him that this also was impossible because the man wanted to impose on the
governor people who will do his biddings.

"And the governor was worried
that one of the major problems of the state in the past resulted from bad
leadership," Akunna further disclosed.

He alleged that these
incidences might have angered the politician, "and made him forge that letter of
resignation purported to be from the governor".

The spokesman said the
governor’s abduction has thrown the entire state capital into confusion, saying
that everywhere in the town was "calm but restless."

Akunna, who said he was
speaking to Daily Trust from a hideout, pointed out that an uneasy calm
pervaded the atmosphere in Awka town after the news of Dr. Ngige’s abduction
broke.

Meanwhile, the Inspector
General of Police, Tafa Balogun, in a reaction to the development, faulted the
purported removal of the governor, saying that due process had not been
followed.

The IGP in a statement signed
by the Force Public Relations Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP),
Chris A. Olakpe, directed that the status quo ante be restored pending
the resolution of the crisis through due process of the law by politicians.

"The IGP has instituted a high
powered investigation team to be led by him personally", the statement said,
adding that the constitution and democracy must be defended.

Meanwhile, the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), has set up a seven-man reconciliatory committee headed
by the national vice chairman, (Southwest zone), Chief Olabode George to meet
all stakeholders of the PDP in Anambra State.

Anarchy in Anambra

By Anayo OkoliFriday, July
11, 2003

Thugs, Police abduct Gov.
Ngige

AIG leads assault

For the past two weeks, Chris Uba who said he wanted to appoint
all eleven commissioners, special advisers, Aide D’Camp, Chief Detail, Secretary
to the State Government even rejected the appointment of my Personal Staff. He
said they are not acceptable to him. I do not know why. I told him that I only
appointed those we had agreed upon earlier, so, I am surprised. Last week, he
redeployed a Permanent Secretary in my office without my approval. —GOV NGIGE

AWKA—
ANAMBRA State was, yesterday, engulfed in a political crisis after the
presentation of a "resignation letter" purportedly from Governor Chris Ngige to
the state House of Assembly, and the whisking away of the governor into
"protective custody" by policemen.

The Assembly immediately
accepted the letter and mandated the state Chief Judge to swear-in the deputy
governor, Dr. Okey Ude, as governor.

However, the governor,
speaking on telephone from custody, told the National Secretary of the ruling
People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, that he had not
resigned.

His Special Assistant (Media
and Publicity), Mr. Fred Chukwuelobe, who was also beaten and arrested by
policemen managed to send a text message to Vanguard that the
"resignation letter" was forged.

Vanguard gathered that trouble started
at about 7am yesterday when over 30 anti-riot policemen led by Assistant
Inspector-General (AIG) Raphael Ige invaded Government House, Awka, disarmed the
security personnel and policemen on duty and cordoned off the complex.

Information later filtered out
that the governor had resigned. For two hours, thereafter, no one was allowed to
go in or out of the place. All visitors including the governor’s aides were
turned back.

The state Assembly later met
where the "resignation letter" dated July 9, 2003 was read to the hearing of
members. The House accepted it and asked for the swearing-in of Deputy Governor,
Okey Ude, as governor.

The statement: "Dr. Chris
Ngige (OON) elected on April 19, 2003 as Governor of Anambra State has resigned.
In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon (Mrs)
Eucheria Azodo, and read to the House of Assembly in session, Dr. Ngige said
that after the consideration, consultation and advice from friends and family
regarding events in the state, he has decided to resign as the governor of the
state. He thanked all concern for their support and cooperation during his
tenure and promised to make himself available in whatever capacity his services
might be needed."

Vanguard
learnt that after the reading of the letter, the Majority Leader of the House,
Mr. Peter Onuarah, representing Ayamelum moved for its adoption. The motion was
seconded by Mr. Anthony Igboka, representing Njikoka II for adoption. The House
also moved a motion that the deputy governor, Dr Okey Ude, be sworn-in as
governor.

The chief judge was being
awaited at about 4.30 pm yesterday to perform the swearing-in. A top ranking PDP
member and now a member of the House of Representatives was seen in a white jeep
accompanied by two Peugeot cars loaded with armed mobile policemen, at the
premises of the office of the chief judge, ostensibly to take him to do the
swearing-in.

However, in a swift reaction,
the Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Chuks Akunna, dismissed the resignation
letter as a "forged" one. According to him, the governor never wrote any letter
of resignation.

Meanwhile, the governor’s
Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Fred Chukwulobe, was arrested a few minutes
after 4 p.m following the airing of the news of the governor’s resignation on
the network of Radio Nigeria.

At about 4.15pm, anti-riot
police, who had taken over Government House dispersed workers and visitors who
had converged to hear the news. The workers promptly closed their offices and
headed home.

Before Ngige was whisked off
in a green coloured 406 Peugeot car, he was said to have come down, looked
around and asked: "Where is my driver."

Vanguard
gathered that the crisis is a twist to the face-off between Dr. Ngige and Chief
Chris Uba, PDP caucus leader in the state who was said to have literarily
enthroned the governor. The governor was said to have refused to pick certain
people recommended for political appointments by Uba.

ALUKO COMMENTARY:

What the….? Aha – how can this happen? Are
we running a government or what? A zoo? Even a movie should not be this
dramatic.

This is state treason, simplicita! Every
last one of the plotters – from politicians (e.g. Chris Uba) to the Deputy
Governor (Okechukwu Udeh) to federal and state lawmakers (e.g. Senator Abana,
Speaker Eucharia Azodo), to Chief Judge (Chuka Jideofor Okoli) to the conniving
police (e.g. AIG Raphael Ige) - MUST be brought to book, and taught a lesson
if found complicit.

Even Governor Ngige himself is a “bad case”:
he should be arrested and dragged before the ICPC for signing over N960 million
to businessman Uba (instead of the N3 billion that he demanded), and businessman
Chris Uba arrested by the EFCC for extorting same. This is not to talk of the
“funny circumstances” still in contention about how he “defeated” Peter Obi of
APGA to become governor of Anambra!

This is the same state in which there are 6
federal senators instead of 3, and 8 members of the House of Representatives,
instead of four! This is the same state in which the former governor Mbadinuju
is still being accused of being part of a murder plot against an assassinated
lawyer-couple Barnabas and Abigail Igwe. This is the same state of late Azikiwe,
the state that has Ojukwu, Ekwueme, Ezeife, Okadigbo, Chinua Achebe, Emeka
Anyaoku, et cetera ad nauseum, as eminent citizens!

Tufiakwa!
How can a whole state stink from top to bottom like this on their watch?

And yet we had been consistently warned by
Chuks Iloegbunam of the Vanguard:

ANXIETY gripped the headquarters of the People's Democratic Party (PDP)
yesterday following the abduction of the Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chris
Ngige.

The news of the governor's abduction came in the afternoon when the National
Working Committee (NWC) of the party led by the national chairman, Chief Audu
Ogbeh was meeting.

While the NWC members were making frantic efforts to locate the whereabouts of
the governor, he called the headquarters, reportedly using a smuggled phone.

He told the NWC members that he had not resigned as speculated, stressing that
he would rather die than surrender the mandate.

Narrating his ordeal, Ngige said that he was abducted with alleged connivance of
an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Mr. Raphael Ige.

The governor alleged that the people who came for his abduction demanded N3
billion ransom.

Ngige accused his political godfather, Chris Uba, of allegedly masterminding the
act. Denying his purported resignation, Ngige said: "I never did. They forged my
signature, whatever they are counting about. If I am going to sign such a
resignation letter, I will ask my party, who do I address it to. I have not done
so. So, I am surprised.

"Yes, I am still under abduction here. Somebody just gave a telephone to me to
talk to NWC members. Somebody threw a phone to me".

He continued: "I came to the office this morning and the Assistant Inspector
General of Police for zone 9, Mr. Raphael Ige, told me that he was under
instruction to keep me under house arrest. I asked whether there was a coup in
the country, he said no. I said what kind of arrest? He said he would tell me
later.

"At 2 p.m., they brought a letter from the House of Assembly, saying that I have
resigned. I am not contemplating resigning. They cannot take that seat by force.
I will never resign that seat. I have the mandate of Anambra people. I am still
their governor. I am ready to die to protect my mandate."

Asked whether politicians had given him any pressure previously, Ngige said:
"Yes, for the past two weeks, Chris Uba who says he wants to appoint the
Secretary to the State Government (SSG), commissioners, special advisers, ADC
and others said he has rejected all the appointments I have made. The
appointments of personal staff is not even acceptable to him.

"I do not know why. I have told him that I will appoint my personal staff from
personal secretary to all those who work with me and he had agreed earlier on."

The governor further traced the genesis of the disagreement to his refusal to
take orders from Uba on the issue of appointment of commissioners.

"I have not prevented anybody from being a commissioner and I also refused to
sign a large sum of money demanded. I prefer to die than to sign that document",
he said.

In a reply to a question from the NWC members as to how much, he said: "Three
billion. Chris Uba is
demanding that from me. I will be surprised that somebody has told me that my
signature has been forged and appended on that document."

Asked if the Chief Judge was aware, Ngige said: "We looked for the CJ in his
office and apparently, he is nowhere to be found."

The governor further alleged that two members of the National Assembly, Senator
I, Abana and a member of the House of Representatives, Chuma Nzeribe were in the
operation with the police.

"Nzeribe led the operation of the those who came with the police. He did the
same thing recently when he re-deployed a permanent secretary in my office
without my approval and concurrence.

When I asked the AIG, he claimed that Abuja knew about what they were doing.
Abana was with them for the operation. I am asking the party to invoke
disciplinary measure on these men," the embattled governor said.

Expressing fear over his fate, the governor exclaimed: "I am not free! I am not
free!"

In a swift reaction, the national secretary of the party, at a press conference,
expressed surprise, describing it as a rape of democracy.

His words: "It is a surprise. It is a shocking news to us. It is a threat to
democracy. We are going to take necessary steps to ensure that this does not
hold. We are not recognising the development in Anambra State. We will not take
it. Ngige remains our elected and legitimate governor in Anambra.

"As a matter of fact, the NWC and the party will not tolerate this kind of
indiscipline. It is unbelievable because I personally got in touch with the
Inspector General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun and the he seems not to have
knowledge of this and he is trying to find out the true situation.

"The purported abduction is illegal, null and void. It is a challenge to PDP and
we are ready to face the challenge. The national chairman of PDP, Chief Audu
Ogbeh is not around but we have briefed him of the development in Anambra State
and he is not happy about it. There is a breakdown of law and order but we will
not allow this."

The National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Venatius Ikem who attended the press
conference alongside Yohana Madaki, national legal adviser, said: "Democracy is
all due process and we must follow due process in whatever we are doing,
otherwise we will resort to anarchy."

And counter-claims

ANAMBRA State was yesterday virtually rudderless as claims and counter-claims
poured out over the alleged resignation of the state governor Dr. Chris Ngige.

The State House of Assembly, saying that Ngige had resigned, passed a motion
directing the Chief Judge of the state to swear in Ngige's deputy, Dr. Okechukwu
Udeh in his stead "to avoid a vacuum".

The statement from the House signed by its speaker, Mrs. Azodo Eucharia read:
"We have just received an executive correspondence from the Office of the
Governor informing me of the resignation from office of Dr. Chris N. Ngige as
Governor of Anambra State.

"Consequently the Anambra State House of Assembly, after due consideration and
consultation with party leaders have accepted the said resignation of Dr. Chris
N. Ngige as Governor of Anambra State.

"You are hereby requested, My Lord, by a resolution of this House and in
accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to
immediately swear in Dr. Okey Udeh, the Deputy Governor of Anambra State as the
Executive Governor of Anambra State to avoid creating a vacuum in the leadership
of the state."

However, Ngige was reported to have made a call to the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) Central Working Committee in Abuja to deny that he had resigned, adding
that he was calling from a hideout.

In an address later in his capacity as governor, Udeh declared: "Following the
resignation of Dr. Chris Ngige today the 10th of July, 2003 and in accordance
with Section 191(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I,
Dr. Okechukwu Udeh is now holding the office of the Governor of Anambra State.
This is to avoid leaving a vacuum in the leadership of the state and in
allegiance to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

"My dear people of Anambra State, since this has been constitutionally decided
by the Honourable State House of Assembly, I have no hesitation than to accept
the challenge with the sincere intention and faith to serve you, the good people
of Anambra State.

"I therefore, request all the citizens of the state to keep calm, go about their
normal businesses and perceive the development as an act of God. The following
immediate measures are hereby ordered to re-invigorate the machinery of
governance in the state, viz:

The list of the members of the State Executive Council will be forwarded to the
State House of Assembly in a week's time for screening and confirmation:

"The Task Force on Anambra State Environment Sanitation Committee (ANSESC) is
hereby ordered to clean up Onitsha, Nnewi, Awka, Ekwulobia and environs within
14 days or face immediate disbandment.

"I will forward immediately to the State House of Assembly the list of Members
of Transition Committee for the 21 Local Government Areas of the State.

"I once more thank you all and continue to solicit your support, and goodwill so
that together, we will all move Anambra State forward for better."

Also, reacting to the alleged resignation, the PDP, Anambra State said:

The PDP in Anambra State hereby welcome the present political development in the
state leading to the resignation of Dr. Chris Ngige as governor.

We received the resignation letter from the former Governor of Anambra State
Dr. Chris Ngige.

That we do hereby confirm the resignation as attached.

We are not aware of any problem between him and any member of our Great Party
(the PDP) at any level.

We call on the PDP members and the people of Anambra State to remain calm as
the development is being taken care of.

Ezeife, Ajuluchukwu decry crisis in Anambra

By Clifford Ndujihe

FORMER Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife and elderstatesman.
Chief M.C.K. Ajuluchukwu, have faulted the alleged resignation of Governor Chris
Ngige, describing it as "news". Also, Chief Okey Nwosu, who ran as running mate
to Chief George Moghalu of the ANPP, said it was a ploy to destroy Anambra
State.

Wondering how the governor would resign barely two months after assuming office,
Ezeife in a telephone chat with The Guardian said it would be difficult to stop
Ngige from remaining in office.

On his part, Ajuluchukwu attributed the brewing crisis to problem of leadership
in Anambra Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and called on President Olusegun
Obasanjo and Chief Audu Ogbeh to dig into the issue as a matter of urgency for
peace to reign in the state.

Asked to speak on Ngige's resignation, Ezeife said: "Is it true? I certainly
don't understand it. It is news to me".

And going by the manner the resignation letter was tendered and handled by the
state's House of Assembly, he added: "If it is that kind of thing, he will
continue. He will say he didn't resign that his signature was forged".

Speaking with disappointment, Ajuluchukwu warned that the upwelling crisis in
the leadership of Anambra PDP would bring the party to ridicule, if not
immediately addressed by President Olusegun Obasanjo and the party hierarchy at
the national level.

His words: "The PDP in Anambra State is a suspect organisation. It does not
appear to follow the path being trodden by the main body. And I had warned Aso
Rock in the past to be careful of Anambra PDP leadership because they are likely
to bring the entire party into public ridicule. What is happening now shows that
the leadership of Anambra PDP is suspect. I will like a proper election of the
leadership of PDP in Anambra; not the one foisted on the people by moneybags."

He continued: "Ngige is an honest man. He cannot brook the kind of irregularity
they want to push him into. I am asking President Obasanjo as the leader of the
party and the National Chairman, Chief Audu Ogbeh to step into the matter
immediately in order to restore peace and stability in the state".

Anambra: Anatomy of a crisis

By Godwin Ijediogor

THE crisis in Anambra State did not begin today. And has remained essentially
the problem of power tussle between self-confessed godfathers and their
installed governors.

>From the onset, the source of power and around whom it revolves in the current
political dispensation in Anambra State was Chief Chris Uba.

Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige could be likened to a man preparing for a 100metre race
only to be drafted into a 1,000metre race. He had set his mind on the senatorial
position and was counting on his friend, Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju, to see it
realised when he was told that the coast was clear for him in the governorship
race.

He rode to Government House, Awka on the financial and political muscles of
Chief Uba, whose title, "Eselu onu ego" literally means "one so wealthy that you
can only scratch the surface of the wealth."

When he spoke to The Guardian shortly after the election, the Alor-born,
University of Nigeria, Nsukka-trained medical doctor cut the image of one
drafted uncannily into the race for the governorship position in a state reputed
for its bizarre politics. Initially, he looked unprepared and rattled even as he
belatedly kicked off his campaign when others were far off.

But having clinched the party's ticket and the "people's mandate," Ngige started
off amidst encumbrances from the opposition and uncertainty over his freedom
from his political mentor.

At the dawn of victory, the godfather, Uba, was all over town announcing his
mastery of the arts of fixing and sponsorship of candidates. Indeed, he got more
accolades than Ngige himself. He could no longer hide his de-facto leadership of
the state.

He told a local medium recently: "It is not just the governor and his deputy
that I sponsored. There are also three senators, 10 members of the House of
Representatives and 30 members of the House of Assembly... I sponsored them...
and this is the first time in the history of Anambra State that one single
individual would be putting every public officer in the state in power."

On April 20, Ngige had ruled out a repeat of the Mbadinuju/Offor debacle in the
state.

His words: "No, there would be no such problems. Like I said, we are doing the
thing collectively as one family. So godfatherism, if that is what you want to
call it, is in every democracy everywhere. But as far as I am concerned, their
mannerisms depends on the political party and who the people are, their
mannerisms and character."

When time came to fill the political positions, the bubble burst. It had been
speculated that a crack had started to emerge in the Chris and the Anambra
project. However, both parties denied any such rift.

Ngige's principal private secretary, Dr. Amanchukwu Ezike, said in a statement:
"Both of them have been close friends for several years and the emergence of
Ngige as the third Executive Governor of Anambra State can only further cement
that relationship.

"Let it be made clear for the avoidance of doubt that there is only one governor
in Anambra State and that is Ngige and he is effectively in charge. Anybody
hoping for a repeat of the Mbadinuju/Emeka Offor Saga would be disappointed,
because the situations are not the same and the personalities are different."

Certainly so; in a way. The personalities and situations may appear different.
The attempt" using the state legislature" to edge out Mbadinuju few weeks into
his tenure failed. But whether Ngige would be able to stand the onslaught from
his financier would be determined in the days ahead.
Surely, the personalities have changed, but politics in Anambra State does not
appear to.
We are not surprised", says APGA

PROBABLY still smarting from its loss at the April 2003 polls, the All
Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) last night said it was not surprised with the
developments in Anambra State where the State Governor, Dr. Chris Ngige was
kidnapped by agents of the state.

In a statement signed by the National Chairman of the party, Chief Chekwas
Okorie, the party stated that "what is happening in Anambra State today is
exactly what happens to a gang of thieves when it comes to sharing of loot."

The party stated that the situation in Anambra State showed that the people of
the state did not actually vote Dr. Chris Ngige for governor or the PDP for that
matter.

Warning the PDP to handle the situation with care and caution and not to impose
an unnecessary state of emergency on Anambra, APGA stated that the development
has exposed the police and military arms of the government to the world.

Okorie stated: "When the Federal Government of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo
unwittingly decided to expose the police and military arms of government to
electoral fraud and manipulation along with the huge pay-out that was associated
with it, little did the government know that the security agents had been served
the forbidden fruit. Today, they have started reaping very early what they
sowed.
"The fist was the wanton mowing of innocent and unarmed Nigerians who came out
on a very peaceful protest against an unjustified increase in the pump prices of
petroleum products. Now, the same agents in an operation unprecedented in the
Nigerian political history, an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) led
his team to abduct a supposedly elected governor notwithstanding the immunity
the governor was supposed to be enjoying.

"We have it on good authority that the letter of resignation read on the floor
of the Anambra State House of Assembly was indeed written, signed and handed
over to Chief Chris Uba by Dr. Chris Ngige as a condition to be rigged into
office through electoral manipulation in which Chief Uba bankrolled, facilitated
with the aid of INEC, security operatives and the Presidency.

"Finally, APGA wishes to warn the PDP Federal Government to handle the situation
in Anambra State with extreme care and caution. No stupid action should be taken
to impose an unnecessary state of emergency on Anambra State."